Two knife-wielding robbers broke into a pub’s living quarters waking the manager and her husband before threatening them and demanding money.

The two hooded and masked raiders threatened the couple with foot-long knives during the early morning raid at The Boat House pub in Barrow upon Soar, near Loughborough.

The terrifying raid took place at the Bridge Street pub took place at 7am on Monday.

Nigel Hickinbottom, 51, and his wife Dawn, 58, woke to find themselves confronted by two men stood at the foot of their bed wielding the knives.

The men demanded money and to know where the safe was.

After a search of their upstairs flat the couple told the men there was money in a box in the kitchen which they took before fleeing.

Mr Hickinbottom, 51, said: “To be honest, for the first few seconds it didn’t register. I had no idea what was going on, we had both just woken up and suddenly there were these two men at the foot of our bed with knives - it was scary.

“They just kept asking us where the money was, where the safe was. If we moved they moved the knives closer to us, they were only a step away from us - it’s only a small bedroom.We felt quite vulnerable, one of them was standing over my wife.”

The men got away with between £2,000 and £2,500.

Detective Constable Mark Ward said: “This was a frightening incident for the victims and we need to catch those responsible.

Anyone with information is asked to call police on 101 or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555111.